New Orleans is great! You'll love it despite the rent. Your price range is more like pre-Katrina levels. Now, you'll definitely be able to find a 1br for 700 but it may be small or in a less desireable area. If you want to live in Marigny, Mid-City, Uptown, Treme or Bywater expect to pay close to $1000.

Biking: I bike everywhere everyday. It's not the easiest thing because of the proximity of grocery stores and amenities not to mention the overbearing heat, but it's possible to be relatively happy without a car. Public transit is kind of in a rut right now. I've given up trying to take the bus to work and still be on time. Streetcars are running on limited routes but will be coming back. (!!) You can also get a card to be able to mount your bike on a rack on the bus so you can take your bike with you while riding public transit.

I think that it would be worth a move especially if you have job options already. I love this city. New Orleans isn't over-ridden with college students. There are a few colleges and universities around, but don't think of college bars on every corner.

In terms of neighborhoods, you just have to check out the area. Many people will tell you to avoid certain areas that had a reputation 20 years ago for being dangerous. But New Orleans really isn't dangerous as long as you are aware of your surroundings and you're not doing stupid things. Just check out the area and if you feel comfortable, you'll be fine. If you're biking everywhere, I would recommend Uptown or the CBD or the French Quarter or Marigny. I would avoid the areas that haven't been rebuilt yet. I would definitely recommend that you have neighbors in whatever neighborhood you choose.

I pretty much agree with everything manta mentioned. Apartment prices have definitely come back down since the post-Katrina surge. The only thing to watch out for is they just recently issued re-assessments of property taxes...many homeowners found that their rates have nearly doubled, even when the realistic value of the property hasn't gone up (our local government is notoriously corrupt, I really have no explanation other than that). So I could see apartment prices seeing a sharp price hike once those new rates actually go into affect. Something to watch out for, for sure.

The city is very bike friendly...most people ride cruiser style bikes...since we have no real terrain to speak of (except for killer potholes) there's not really any need for lots of fancy gears or mountain bikes. There are quite a few good bike shops around town, plus the Bike Project in the Marigny will help you learn to repair a bike yourself.

While I'm originally from the MS Coast, about an hour away from New Orleans, I moved here permanently to go to school at Loyola, and I've been here ever since (about 5 or 6 years now). Most of the Tulane and Loyola kids stay around the uptown area for the most part, so unless you're looking for an apartment on Broadway (which is pretty much frat row), you'll probably be okay. Mid-city, the Marigny/Bywater, and the Lower Garden District are all great neighborhoods, and you can often get good deals on apartments in the French Quarter if that's something you're interested in. About half of my friends live in the Quarter.

One thing to consider lately is our stupid energy bills. There's only one local energy supplier, Entergy, and they suck. Seriously. I hate them. They're a monopoly here and I feel like they charge whatever they want when it comes to electricity and gas prices.

Also, make sure you plan ahead for possible evacuations...have an emergency plan ready. It's especially important if you have kids, pets or anything like that. It was important pre-Katrina, but it's especially important to have plans in place these days.

and remember, dawlin', no meat in your freezer until after hurricane season is over, okay?

seriously, though, yay! more crafty folk in NO!You will love New Orleans, I promise. you will probably experience a slight culture shock, so here's a few tips:

a sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes, and pretty much everything on it is "dressed".a poboy is a delicious wonder that you should make a point to enjoy. in fact, if you aren't used to living in a city that's all about food, get ready. new orleans is wonderful in that aspect.as long as you do not say "new or-leens" we will be kind. "new or-lins" however, is an acceptable compromise.

as far as safety concerns:as previous poster said, there aren't necessarily neighborhoods you should always avoid all the time. however, simply acting intelligent should keep you safe. keep to well populated areas at night, don't go exploring after dark, and if you can, get a native to tell you where you should visit first...then, after you've been here a while, you can venture out.